Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has lost his appeal against a conviction for corruption and influence-peddling, and will be required to wear an electronic bracelet under house arrest for one year, with two years suspended. The Paris court of appeals upheld the initial sentence of three years in prison, which Sarkozy's lawyer Jacqueline Laffont called "astounding and unfair." Laffont said Sarkozy will appeal the decision to the French supreme court.
Sarkozy's conviction dates back to 2014, when he was found guilty of trying to illegally obtain information from a senior magistrate about an ongoing investigation into his campaign finances. The investigation began in 2013, when phones belonging to Sarkozy and his lawyer were bugged by investigators looking into his campaign finances. The investigation revealed that Sarkozy and his lawyer had promised a prestigious position in Monaco to a senior magistrate in exchange for information about the ongoing inquiry into claims that Sarkozy had accepted illegal payments from L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for his successful 2007 presidential campaign.
This is not the first time Sarkozy has been convicted of corruption since leaving office in 2017. He was sentenced to one year in prison in September 2021 for illegal campaign funding in his 2012 re-election bid, and will face an appeal hearing in November in the so-called "Bygmalion case." Sarkozy also faces other investigations, including one into allegations of illegal campaign funding from Libya.
The conviction of a former president is a significant moment for France, where corruption scandals have eroded public trust in political institutions. The decision sends a message that no one is above the law, even those who have held the highest office in the land. However, Sarkozy's supporters argue that the case against him is politically motivated and that he is being unfairly targeted. The outcome of his appeal to the French supreme court will be closely watched by both his supporters and his detractors.